[Nederlanders opgelet] Dutch newspaper blog about OpenMoko phone

[Marnix Klooster]

Op 12-07-07 21:58, Eric van Horssen schreef:
> This article on the blog site of a Dutch newspaper:
> 
> <http://weblogs.nrc.nl/weblog/hebben/2007/07/12/gratis-software-voor-je-gehackte-smartphone/> 

Bedankt voor die link!

For those interested, here follows a quick rough translation.


Free software for your hacked smartphone
========================================

The thing which phone vendors and software developers try to avoid with 
simlock and serial numbers, is specifically being promoted by OpenMoko: 
hack your own phone.  OpenMoko is an open source group that develops 
free software for mobile devices.  The first hardware that runs on 
OpenMoko is now available: a phone with good-looking rounded corners, 
with GPS receiver, GSM/GPRS support and... NO buttons.  The Neo1973 does 
have a touch-interface, and therefore many people declare the device to 
be an iPhone-killer.  However, that seems a bit premature.

Most smartphones run on Symbian, Windows Mobile, or UIQ.  The iPhone 
added OS X to that.  OpenMoko is a mobile platform which runs on a Linux 
kernel.  In itself that is nothing special, check out this list 
<http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT9423084269.html>.  But it is 
pleasant that all available software is free [as in beer --Ed.], and 
that you already can get a simlock-free smartphone for 300 dollars which 
works on the OpenMoko platform.  There is an application available for 
OpenMoko that lets you receive free push e-mail 
<http://www.funambol.com/>, just like the Blackberry offers.  Navigation 
software should not be a problem either: the TomTom devices that you see 
on the highway also run on a Linux system.

The orange-black Neo1973 looks cool with its round forms and 2.8 inch 
color screen.  However, it doesn't hurt to wait for the next hardware 
update, when the Neo1973 is equipped with a wifi-receiver and motion 
sensors.  Then you can - just as on the iPhone - flip the screen 
automatically when you move the phone.  This new version will cost 450 
dollars, and is available from October.


Groetjes,
  <><
Marnix